Heir to the Empire

59. The beginning of the end

Metal hinges creaking in a large circular room sounded like crows fighting over carrion. The room, with light only produced from its skylight, had been long forgotten within Ravenscourt until its newest inhabitant took residence.

Chains rattled precariously as Ethelston, Erdudvyl, Loldirr, and Ithelred took their first steps inside. As the chains cracked against their anchors, a dozen guards stepped forward from the dark to point their weapons at the feared entity in the centre of the room.

He was calm and fearless, despite being held in captivity. As the sharpened points of polearms gleamed in his direction, he raised himself to his feet, bowing towards his visitors before his bright white eyes focused on their every move.

Sir Gervais Vanderbilt, the Widow Maker, had each of his guards on edge at all times. As he moved, so did they, as his head flicked from side to side examining them all, so did their weapons, ready to pounce at a moments notice.

His chains allowed him to only move short distances around the room. He was captured like a wounded animal, but his abilities and reputation demanded that he should be taken seriously and be considered a dangerous threat.

With the skylight focusing the only sunlight on his hooded head, he almost looked alien, and his lack of breathing only confounded it further. Whatever made him human before becoming a Death Wraith seemed to have long gone.

"I must welcome you to my humble surroundings. I would embrace you all; however, I feel my hosts are somewhat on edge and would not look kindly on such an advancement, " his accented voice calmly confessed.

Each guard seemed even warier as he spoke; it was only as Loldirr raised her arm that the guards lifted their polearms instinctively. "Sir Gervais Vanderbilt, I regret that we should meet under these circumstances. It appears you have quite a reputation that I am only just being made aware of."

Sir Gervais cocked his head slightly, eager to know the direction the conversation was going.

"Some of my colleagues believe that I should banish you back to the realm of death, yet I feel that you have a role to play in my ascension to the throne." enlightened Loldirr.

A small smile perked itself on the Death Wraith as Loldirr spoke, yet he did not talk; instead, he studied each of them closely.

"Personally, I think we should be rid of this foul creature," the bruised Ethelston spat.

The white eyes of Sir Gervais focused directly at Ethelston, causing him to reply spitefully, "Do you fear death, Lord Darke?"

Erdudvyl held tightly onto Ethelston's arm before he could respond rashly. "We should be rid of him, " Ethelston growled, insulted by his comment.

The white eyes then glared towards Loldirr before Sir Gervais knelt to the floor. "I am at the will of the Elemental Sorceress. Her command is mine to follow."

Ithelred scoffed at the comment. "His loyalty is questionable. Considering he was the right hand of the usurper, how do we know that his words have any value."

"I agree, Loldirr," commented Erdudvyl, "a Death Wraith is a dangerous and unpredictable tool. I can see his very existence is having a heavy toll on you."

Loldirr had noticed how she needed to eat more, how her face and skin was paler than usual. For as long as he existed, his life force would be pulling on hers. "Each of them makes valid arguments, Widow Maker. How do you respond in your defence?"

Sir Gervais raised his head slightly before letting his eyes dart between each of them. "You are right to question my loyalty, Lord of the Raven. I served Emperor Arnaud III before he took the title of Emperor and continued to do so until the winter before my death."

Ethelston scoffed aggressively as he spoke. "And why the change of heart?"

The chains around Sir Gervais arms tensed unexpectedly, the arrogant smile on his face blistered into a thunderous rage, "I never once changed my heart; instead, I had it ripped from me by him and the bitch that sits beside him."

"Nimue?" Erdudvyl asked.

Like a serpent striking at its, Sir Gervais stood to his feet and launching himself at the elf. "Do not mention her name in my presence," he spoke with uncontrolled venom.

The guards lowered their polearms instinctively, pointing their blades at the frightful creature in the centre of the room. Before Ethelston could also jump to her defence, Loldirr had her arm raised again, causing the guards, Ethelston and Sir Gervais, to calm their stances.

"I long for death," Sir Gervais eventually responded, his voice once again calm. "Yet my petty need for vengeance placed me in limbo between life and death. I served the Necromancer because the laws of death dictate that I must serve one that can manipulate it. When the Elemental Sorceress called me by her side, it was a call I felt compelled and desired to answer. Until my vengeance is served, then I am a tool for the last Aex-Igh."

"But what use have we for a Death Wraith?" asked Ithelred.

Sir Gervais eyes flicked around once more, his smile returned, as his focus moved back to Loldirr, he said, "because you've seen my ability as a soldier and heard of my reputation in matters of intrigue and subterfuge. Because I know how the Emperor thinks and works and because I know things which are essential to your success for the greater good."

"What things?" Loldirr asked as all around her were eager to ask the same question.

"Like why the Emperor chose war with Ruvia. That he is not the one that you should be concerned with; instead, that the woman that sits at his right hand is the most dangerous creature in the empire. That this very woman, who calls herself Nimue, is an agent of the Necromancer and is a Sorceress of the Elements who wields the realm of water and that right now, the throne of the Isovine Empire is the least of your concerns." Sir Gervais explained.

"What do you mean?" Erdudvyl asked.

His white eyes blinked briskly before focusing on the elf, "You have heard of the taint that has manifested itself in the south of Dominion territories?"

Erdudvyl looked at him, concerned by his knowledge of such things, "Yes, I am aware."

"This is no ordinary taint, this has been manifested by the Necromancer and a dark elf known as Alyduin El Royar, and it is already rampant across the southern plains," explained Sir Gervais.

"Alyduin is just a myth, banished from the Dominion and left to die on the isle of sorrow. He would be over three thousand winters if he existed!" Erdudvyl replied, disbelief ripe in her voice.

Returning to his pose on the floor, Sir Gervais closed his eyes and crossed his legs, preparing to enter meditation. "Whether you believe the truth is none of my concern, but know this, if nothing is done to assist the Dominion, before the snows fall of the next winter, all elves will either be dead or corrupted by the taint. With the elves either gone or converted to the dark, there will be nothing to stop the Necromancer and his crusade of absolute destruction."